Ideas from CSUN Faculty for Teaching During an Election

Whatever you choose to do, be intentional in how you prepare for conversations during tense political times. The decision to lead an activity related to the impact of the election during class should be influenced by how well-resourced you are, in addition to contextual factors about your class environment. And because our students might bring their reactions into the classroom, it’s a good idea to have a plan. 

For instance, you might consider these factors described by Boston College’s Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE): 

 

Here are some ideas from CSUN faculty who plan to engage with students during class:

  • Read Something Together: After an election, one faculty read the U.S. Constitution Links to an external site. together with her class. It gave them a concrete and relevant resource to reflect on together and be more empowered to make informed opinions and contributions to current political issues. 
  • Co-Create the Learning Space: Before class, send students a survey asking for their input on options on how to proceed with the next class. This can help you gauge the emotional temperature and needs of your students without making assumptions of where people stand on an issue. For instance, you might give options such as: a-let's use the next class for discussion about X (election results, current event); b-return to the syllabus schedule as planned; c- take a mental health break and not have class; d-engage in this optional asynchronous activity; e- attend my new office hours this week for private dialogue. 
  • Co-Create a Brave Space for Group Discussion: Create a brave space for conversation focused on both sharing and listening. Develop norms for the conversation as a class first and/or refer to your course community agreements. You can start by inviting them into a brave space, using the untitled poem by Beth Strano Links to an external site. and identifying a few norms to which everyone can commit.  
    • Alternatively, you can create the space for conversation by introducing them to one of the specific strategies for engaging in effective dialogue listed in Navigating Courageous Conversations, such as Open The Front Door (OTFD): Observe, Think, Feel, Desire or PAIRS: Pan, Ask, Interrupt, Relate, Share. 
  • Encourage Individual Processing and Reflection with a Writing Activity: Invite students to process their thoughts and feelings with a writing activity. This activity  may or may not result in a whole group discussion; it’s fine for the primary goal of a writing activity to simply be an exercise to privately express a reaction. Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge that some students may not want to engage in expressing or sharing their reactions.
    • Lead them through a multi-step writing process using Open The Front Door or PAIRS steps as prompts, and have them end with a potential action. This might be especially helpful for students who aren’t in the practice of expressing the complexities of their thoughts, emotions and what they are observing. For example:
      • Observe: what do you notice about____?
      • Think: what does it make you think or wonder?
      • Feel: what does it make you feel?  
      • Desire: what is the concrete action you would like to take or have happen? 
  • Acknowledge Without Engaging: You may decide you would rather avoid the topic of politics and any possible escalation among the students. You may not be  well-resourced at the moment, which is an important consideration in tense times (as noted in the very first paragraph). In that case, at the start of class: 
    • take just a minute to acknowledge the fact that there is a lot going on outside the classroom and that we each have so much on our minds. 
    • declare that you won’t be discussing those events and topics, as tempting as it might be.
    • invite them to be present ‘here,’ for now, and to take the next hour or so (depending on the length of your class) as a time to rest into their learning of _______(insert the subject of your class).
    • thank them for being present and investing in their academic goals amidst everything else that is also going on.   
  • Share Stress Management Tips: Giving students resources to manage their stress can be a helpful way to respond. One professor quickly ordered one stress ball for each student (since they found an affordable price however), brought them to class as a way to acknowledge the importance of self-care, as well as giving them something to focus their attention during that first class after the event. 
    • Did you know our amazing CSUN University Counseling Services created an Election Stress Kit Download Election Stress Kit? This offers tips on how to:
      • Be present: assess your current thoughts and feelings. Take time to examine your thoughts and emotions to confirm or reevaluate them.
      • Refuel: make sure you are getting plenty of rest. Stay hydrated and make healthy food choices and limit your caffeine intake. These actions can help reduce anxiety and improve your overall health.
      • Unplug: limit your social media intake to create boundaries to help you feel less overwhelmed.
      • Connect: make time to get together with supportive friends and allies.
      • Do something: channel what you're feeling into positive, meaningful activity. Find ways to engage in your community that are a good fit for you.  
  • CSUN University Counseling Services: Let students know about this campus resource. University Counseling Services is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and counselors are available for regular appointments during this time or for emergency in-person visits if the student needs support. Students can set up an initial evaluation with a counselor by calling (818) 677-2366, option 1. Their crisis hotline is available after hours for immediate help at (818) 677-2366, option 3.  

 

Do you have an idea to share? If you want to share how you plan to optimize a learning experience for students during a contentious social or political moment, please send FacDev your idea at facdev@csun.edu. 

Return to Navigating Courageous Conversations Toolkit Page